Grade-crossing gate



May 3 1927. 1,626,964

J. D. PAUL GRADE CROSS ING GATE Filed Dec. 2, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1 H67: l-

| l I I I I I INVENTOR- I 6 v {bate JzDqvz'aZ Rig/Z, $21 I @W 1 WI TNESSES A TTORNEYS.

' May 3, 1927.

J. D. PAUL GRADE CROSSING GATE Filed Dec. 2. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVETOR:

' aoe a David PauL,

WI TNE SSES A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH DAVID PAUL, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRADE-CROSSING GATE.

This invention relates to gates useful for the protection of streets or roadways at their intersection with the tracks of railroads, and is directed in the main, toward making possible automatic operation of such gates by the passing trains; or in other words, to make their closure dependent upon the approach of the trains to the crossing, and their reopening, upon clearance of: the trains from the crossing.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in connection with automatic grade crossing gates, both visible and audible warnim si nals which will be automaticall Fig. III is a detail sectional view to an: enlarged scale through the basal portion or pedestal of one of the columns taken as indicated by the arrows III III in Fig, II;

m and Fig, IV is a diagrammatic illustration of a double railroad crossing showing the electrical devices and circuits whereby a pair of road or street protecting gates of my invention are automatically operated by passi ng trains.

As shown, each gate comprises a barrier comprehensively designated 1 in Fig. I of the drawings, which; is supported horizontally between the upper ends of rods 2, 2 that are movable vertically within columns 3 erected, proximate the railroad crossing, at opposite sides of the street or roadway which to be protected. The barrier 1 may be of any convenient construction, comprising, for example, a series of flexible pendants 4; of water-prooted rope or the like, suspended "ti-om a cross member 5 which is preferably 01 wire mesh 6 covered with a suitable facing material like duck or canvas cloth, wher'eon may be painted or otherwise depicted a warning legend such as Danger, Caution, Stop .R. R. Crossing, etc. From Figs. II and III it will be observed that the upper portions 7 of the column 3 are just large enough, with regard to di- Application filed December 2, 1924. Serial No. 753,428.

ameter, to accommodate the rods 2 when raised, and further, that said portions are slotted longitudinally on the insides as at 9 tor passage of the horizontals 10 of the catenary suspension 11 whereto the barrier 1 is directly hung. The basal portions or pedestals 12 of the columns 3 are. on the other hand, more liberally proportioned so as to be capable of accommodating not only the rods 2, but their operating mechanisms and various associated signal means which will presently be described in detail. EX- tending throughout the height of each of the columns 3 are opposed track channels 13 wherein run anti-frictionrollers 14 carried at the upper and lower ends of the rods 2, the latter being thereby guided vertically without restraint to free movement.

The gate proper or barrier 1. is sufiiciently heavy to descend of its own accord under gravity to closed position, but is normally held in the raised or open position by latches 15 that engage beneath dogs 16 pivotally suspended from the sides of the rods 2 as shown in Fig. II. Thedogs 16 are sloped as at 17 for cooperation with the forward cam inclines of the latches 15 as the gate or barrier 1 is elevated. As a. result of such cooperation, the dogs 1.6 are temporarily pushed aside until the latches 1.5 are cleared, whereupon they will immediately swing back into the position illustrated. Buiters 18 of rubber or other resilient material in the tops of the columns 3 are pro vided for coaction with the upper ends of the rods 2 .so as to cushion the shock of impact as the gate or barrier l is raised to open position. Descent of the gate or barrier 1 isretarded by counterweights 11.9 appended to cords 20 that are secured to the lower ends of the rods 2 and run about positionally-fixed directional pulleys 21, these parts being all located in the pedestals 12 of the columns 3.v

When the gate or barrier 1 is to be released for descent, the latches are with drawn, against the action of springs 22 which tend to normally-urge them yieldingly forward, by electro-magnets or solenoids 23 that operate upon their laterally-extending shanks 24, these parts being supported by diaphragms 25' within the pedestals 12 of the columns 3.

The gate or barrier 1 is elevated to open posit-ion by electric motors 26 which are supported, with the electro-magnets 23, upon the diaphragms 25. The shafts of the motors 26 are equipped with pinions 27 that are in meshing engagement with rack teeth 28 termed on the supporting rods 2. Vi hen the gate or barrier 11 is to be raised, current is permitted to flow to the motors E36 tln'ough bridging of relatively-insulated contacts 29-3O attired to brackets 31 upstanding from the diaphragms 25, by the armatures of the electro-magnets or *solenoids 23 carried by the shanks 24; ot the catches 15. As the gate or barrier 1 nears the upper limit of its movement, current to the motors 26 is cut oil by switches 33, each of which includes a fixed contact 84 and a movable contact 35, the latter being carried by a pivoted spring-influenced arm 36 that lies within the path of a pin 37 projecting laterally from the rod 2.

Referring now to F IV wherein is illustrated the wiring scheme which I employ in connection with the installation of gates or barriers 1 in accordance with this invention at a double track grade crossing, the various parts previously described are here represented more or less diagrammatically and in duplicate, as well as being indicated by the same reference numerals. In the vicinity of the crossing, a section 38 of one of the rails of each of the tl'RChS A, B, is iir sulated as at 3939. The continuous rails 40, and the insulated sections 38 of both tracks A, B, are connected in parallel with two circuits ll respectively, and with a common source of electrical energy here represented as a battery 42, by means of conductors 4l3-4. l. As shown the two circuits 4:1 contain the various electrical devices asso ciated with the gate columns 3 at opposite sides of the crossing.

The operation of the system is as follows:

Assun'iing a train running on track A. and as having entered the crossing block defined by the insulated track section 38, current will flow from the battery 4-2 through the conductors -13, 4-41 to the circuits 41. As a result, the electron'iagnet 23 included in the circuits 4-1 will be simultaneously on ergized, thereby withdrawing the catches 15 from beneath the dogs 16, and releasing the gate barriers 1 which will thereupon descend by gravity to closed position. The electroniagnets 23 will remain energized as long as the train is within. the block so that the leads to the motors 26 are held open through retraction of the arn'iatures 32 trom the contacts 2930 which occurred concurrently with the withdrawal of the catches 15. lm-idently to the descent of the gates or barriers 1, it will be observed that the switches 33 are permitted to close owing to the retreat of the projections 37 on the rods 2- t'rom the levers 36.

The moment the train leaves the crossing block, the flow of current through the conductors el-34t and hence the electromagnets 23, is interrupted. As a consequence of the release of the catches 15, the springs 22 operative upon the latter, cause the armatures 32 to be drawn against the contacts 29-3O closing the local circuits 41 through the motors 26 (the switches 32) being closed at this time as above noted) and resulting in the elevation of the gates. Such elevation continues until the gates or barriers 1 near the limit of their upward travel when the motor circuits will be automatically interrupted by opening oi? the switches 33 in the manner previously explained. A similar line of reasoning will show that precisely the same sequence of operations will take place concurrently with. $356 passage of a train over the other track For greater safety and precaution, I prefer to employ both audible and visible signals in connection with the operation of the gates or barriers 1, said signals being shown in the form of electric bells 45 and lai'nps 4-0 in Fig. IV of the drawin a bell 45 being s, associated with each gate 1, and a lamp 46 with each of the columns 3, see also F l. as shown the bells 45 and lamps 4-6 are so connected in the local circuits 41 that they will be actuated automatically and synchronously with the movements of the gates or barriers 1, and that they will continue in operation as long as said gates or barriers are in the down or closed position. It desired the lamps 46 may be cut out during day operation 0'! the gates by means of switches 1;? provided for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of the roadway to be protected: said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns. a flexible barrier hung crosswise between the upper ends of said. rods by a catenary suspension, mechanism co-ordinating movement of the rods aforesaid to elevate the gate, latching means effective to restrain the movable rods when raised, said latching means when retracted permitting the gate to descend by gravity, and electro-magnetic means controlling the aforesaid elevating mechanism and latching means.

2. A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of the roadway to be protected; said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods by a catenary suspension, mechanism for elevating the gate including gear pinions meshing with rack teeth tormed on the rods aforesaid, latching means effective to restrain the gate in raised position, said latching means when retracted permitting the gate to descend by gravity, and elecro-magill) llll) netic means controlling the aforesaid elevating mechanism and latching means.

A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of a railroad to be protected, said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods by a catenary suspension, actuating mechanism including latches effective to normally hold the movable rods elevated, and electromagnetic means for releasing the latches whereby the gate may be closed by gravity.

4. A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of a railroad to be protected, said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods by a catenary suspension, actuating mechanism including means for normally holding the aforesaid rods and barrier raised, means for withdrawing the holding means to release the gate for gravitational closure, and means operable to restore the gate to its normal open positions.

5. A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of a railroad to be protected, said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods by a catenary suspension, actuating mechanism including an electric motor, means operable to close the circuit through the motor thereby effecting elevation of the movable rods and flexible barrier, and a switch operated by the gate as it approaches the limit of its upward movement to automatieally open the circuit through the motor.

6. A grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of a railroad to be protected, said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods, actuating mechanism including a spring influenced latch normally holding the aforesaid rods and barrier raised, an electromagnet adapted to withdraw said latch and permit gravitational descent of the rods and barrier, an electric motor and gear mechanism for raising the gate carrying rods, a switch in the motor circuit opened upon withdrawal of the latch aforesaid but adapted to be re-closed concurrently with release of the latch as the magnet is de-energized thereby to close the motor circuit for gate supporting rod elevation, and a second switch in the motor circuit adapted to be automatically opened by the aforesaid rods as the latter reach the limit of upper movement.

7. A' grade crossing gate with supporting columns at opposite sides of a railroad to be protected, said gate comprising rods movable vertically in the columns, a flexible barrier hung between the upper ends of the rods by a catenary suspension, actuating mechanism including a spring influenced latch normally holding the gate supporting rods raised, an electro-magnet adapted to withdraw said latch and permit gravitational descent of the gate supporting rods, an electric motor and inter-meshing gears for raising the rods, a switch in the motor circuit opened upon withdrawal of the latch aforesaid. but adapted to be reclosed concurrently with release of the latch as the magnetis tie-energized to close the motor circuit for gate supporting rod elevation, and a sec ond switch in the motor circuit adapted to be automatically opened by the aforesaid rods as the latter reach the limit of upper movement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 25th day of November, 1924:.

JOSEPH DAVID PAUL. 

